Hanger for edgewise-movable doors.



PATENTED APR; 28, 1908.

' S. U. BARR.

HANGER FOR EDG'EWISE MOVABLE DOORS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 29. 1907.

3 SHBETSSHEET 1.

' mvro/r a fia m ATTORNEY W/TNESSES PATENTED APR. 28, 1908. S. U. BARR.HANGER FOR EDGEWISE MOVABLE DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A Wok/v5 Y PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

- s. U. BARR.

HANGER FOR EDGEWISE MOVABLE DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29. 1907.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W/TNESSES I Jam.

A TTOHNE Y rusu xms psrsns co., wnsmucron, n. c.

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SIDNEY U. BARR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WM. H. JACKSON COMPANY,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

HANGER FOR EDGEWISE-MOVABLE DOORS.

Application filed March 29, 1907.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY U. BARR, citizen of the United States ofAmerica,residing at No. 229 Vest Twenty-eighth street, in the city andcounty of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hangers for Edgew'ise-Nlovable Doors, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

My invention relates to hangers for edgewise sliding doors.

The objects of my invention are to produce a strong, simple and durabledoor-hanging mechanism which (1) operates with a minimum of friction;(2) is adapted for the suspension of a sliding door varying in weightfrom 100 pounds or so to 10 tons or more; (3) is readily adapted notonly for raising and lowering the attached door, but also to fit doorsof varying widths; and (4) is of a novel construction that compels thedoor to run in a straight line.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the principle of my inventionand the best mode now known to me of ap )lying the same, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a part of an overhead track of my new door-hangermounted on the track, and of part of adoor; Fig. 2 is a perspective viewof one of the four horizontal, truck-centering wheels in its sup portingbracket Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view at line 3-3 ofFig. 1 looking to the left, and shows the overhead track in one sectionand an end view of one of the trucks provided with a pair of interiorlymounted and oppositely disposed vertical supporting-wheels, and showsalso a pair of the horizontally mounted truck-centering wheels, one ofwhich, with its supporting bracket, is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 alsoshows a vertical post through the base of the truck for attachment to adoor; Fig. 4 shows, in side view, a part of a door attached to the baseof one truck; also shows a part of an overhead track and a part of oneof the two horizontal, parallel side-bars by which each pair of trucksis connected together; and further shows details of the adjustabledevices by means of which the door is adjustably connected with itstruck; Fig. 5 is a view, rincipally in vertical transverse section, at aine corresponding to 55, of Fig. 4, and shows the overhead track insection, and one of the truck-supporting wheels in section. It

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Serial No. 365,351.

also shows one of the frames of a truck, partly in section, and one ofsaid connecting bars in section. It also shows, partly in section andpartly in elevation, a detail of the adjustable devices whereby a truckand door are adjustably secured together, and it also shows, in sideelevation, an old form of antifriction bearing which is of peculiaradvantage in the doorhanger. Fig. 5 shows a journal for supporting theball-bearing of a supporting-wheel. Fig. 6 is a top-plan view of my newdoor hanger mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a pers ective of amodification, in which the truck rame is shown as a one-piece casting,and provided with arms in which the horizontal, truck-centering wheelsare journaled and to which the parallel side-bars are attachable.

As shown in the drawings, my new doorhanger is made up of a pair oftrucks T, each provided with a pair of interior, oppositely disposed,track wheels 1. The pair of trucks are connected together by horizontaland .parallel connecting bars 2, 2, the ends of which, respectively, aresecured to sideframes 3, 3 of the trucks T. The side-frames of eachtruck are spaced apart by a base 4, the distance between the inner wallsof the side-frames being suflicient for mounting the truck-supportingwheels 1, on the inner sides of the frames 3, at a sufficient distanceapart to receive between them the vertical web t of the track T. Eachpair of side-frames 3 and their base 4 may be integral, if desired, buteach truck-frame is preferably formed, as shown, of a pair ofside-frames 3 and an intermediate base 4, which has at each of its sidesa downwardlyextending web 5, through which, and the lower portions ofthe sideframes 3, bolts 6 are passed to clamp the sideframes and thebase rigidly together. The ends of each horizontal connecting bar 2 arepreferably detachably bolted at 7 to a sideframe 3; and one side-bar 2with a sideframe 3, at each of its ends, constitutes one of the twoparallel side-frames ofthe complete door-hanger. The side-bars 2 arespaced apart from one another, so that one side-bar is on one side andthe other side-bar is on the other side of the intermediate vertical webt of the track, when the parts are assembled for use. The side-bars 2are made detachable from the side-frames 3 in order that the door-hangermay be readily adjusted to doors of different widths by use of'side-bars of different lengths. Each side-bar 2 (in the preferred formof my invention,) is provided with one or more, preferably with two,horizontally mounted, inwardly projecting, truck-centering wheels 8,which are adapted to contact with opposite sides of the vertical web tof the track, when the door is slid in the direction of its width, thesetruck-centering wheels compelling the door then to travel in asubstantially straight line, and if there is any lateral movement of thedoor, to keep the peripheries of the wheels 1 centered on the rails onwhich the wheels are run. It is not desirable that the peripheries ofthe horizontal, truck-centering wheels 8 should actually touch thevertical web 25 at all times, for such a direct and constant contactwould produce unnecessary friction but it is desirable that, on oppositesides of the web 25, these truck-centering wheels 8 should be normallypretty close up to the web i, so that if the door, when being moved,tends to sidewise movement, the trucks will be centered as stated.

The side-bars and trucks constitute a rigid structure, the side-barskeeping the trucks in alinement and being preferably connected, asshown, with their longitudinal axes in line with the lengthwise axes ofthe journals of the vertical truck-wheels 1 whereby the upper portionsof each two side-frames 3, connected by the side-bars, are firmlysupported one in relation to the other, and the horizontaltruck-centering wheels are supported with their peripheries opposed tothe vertical web 15 of the track, above the pair of convex trackrails onwhich the flangeless track-rails run.

Preferably, the horizontal, truck-centering wheels 8 are adjustable fromand towards the vertical web tin order to accommodate webs of differentthicknesses; and for this purpose each truck-centering wheel 8 isconveniently bored centrally for the free passage of its journal 9, theupper and lower ends of which are mounted in the slots 10 of the upperand lower horizontal arms 11 of a bracket 12, the right-angular base 13of which is bolted, at 14, on the inner wall of the side-bar 2. In thepreferred form of my invention as illustrated, each side-bar is providedwith two of these wheel-carrying brackets 12, one bracket with its wheelbeing mounted on a side-bar near one end thereof, and the otherwheel-can rying bracket being similarly mounted on the same side-bartowards the other end thereof. The horizontal,truck-centering wheels 8of one side-bar are preferably disposed opposite the correspondingtruck-centering wheels carried by the other side-bar. Said journals 9(conveniently in the form of bolts,) are provided with heads 15 and withnuts 16, so that they may be clamped in any desired adjusted position,on the upper and lower arms 11, each wheel 8 running loose on that partof its j ournal which lies between said horizontal arms 11 An importantfeature of my invention consists in the rails 25, t, for the supportingwheels 1. The tops of these rails are preferably half-round, as shown;that is, they have convex tops.

Track T (conveniently in the form of an I-beam, as shown,) is, inaccordance with this invention, provided at its lower part withhorizontally extending, parallel webs t 15 one on one side and the otheron the other side of the vertical web If, so as to present,cross-sectionally considered, the form of an inverted T-beam. The trackmember may, of course, be made in many different ways, and of as manypieces as desired but, as a matter of economy and strength, andpractice, I prefer to use an ordinary I-beam or an inverted T-beam. Thehalf-round rails t, t are fastened at 17 through their side-flanges 18to the upper sides of the lateral webs t the convex surfaces or tops ofthe rails being upwards. The use of the truck centering wheels 8 make itunnecessary to use supporting-wheels having flanges, and consequentlythe supporting-wheels 1 are shown without flanges, and this is desirablein order to eliminate the friction that would otherwise arise fromcontact of the inner surfaces of the flanges with the sides of therails. The peripheries of the wheels 1 are flat, and contact with theapices of the convex rails 25, in practice, to the extent of only aboutone-sixteenth of an inch, and consequently the friction between thesupporting-wheels and the rails is reduced to a minimum and herein liesa striking advantage of my invention.

Each base 4 of the truck-frame has a central aperture for passage of apost 20, the upper end of which is threaded for the reception of anadjusting nut 21, the bottom of which is above the upper side of thebase 4. As shown, nut 21 rests on a washer 22, which rests on the uppersurface of the base 41. It is desirable to clamp the nut 21 on the postwhen the nut is in its desired position. On this upper threaded part ofpost 20 there is also mounted an adjusting nut 24, similar to nut 21,and also adapted to be clamped in place by a set-screw, this nut 24bearing on the under surface of base 4. By proper adjustment of nuts 21and 24, the post 20 is raised or lowered relatively-to base 4. The lowerend of stud 20 is connected with a door D, the upper end or edge ofwhich is preferably grooved, lengthwise, at 25, between its sidecorners, to receive a plate 26, which overlies the two counter-sunkrecesses 27 wherein the lower ends of the studs 20 extend, one studbeing connected with one base 4 and the other stud being connected withthe other base 4, Plate 26 is secured to the upper end of the door inany suitable way, as by the lag-screws 28, which pass through the plateand into the door. The lower end of each post 20 is screw-threaded toreceive the nut 29, which is provided with a horizontal peripheralshoulder 30, which underlies and engages with the under surface of saidhorizontal plate 26, so that the door is suspended directly on theshoulders 30 of the two nuts 29. By turning this nut 29, a second orfurther adjustment of the height of the door may be had.

The wheels 1 are advantageously mounted on a cage 40, bearinganti-friction rolls 41, the interior peripheral surfaces of theantifriction rolls contacting directly with the journal 42 on whichwheels 1 are indirectly mounted. This anti-friction bearing is not newwith me, but its present application is new; and in applying thispreferred form of anti-friction device, the journal 42 is provided witha head 43 on the inner side of the hub of wheel 1, and the outer end ofthe ournal is screw-threaded for reception of a nut 44. The ournal isprovided with a shoulder 45 (see Fig. 5), against which the washer 46abuts when forced against it by nut 44. The thickness of the hub of eachsupportingwheel 1 is a little less than the length of the journalbetween the opposed surfaces of head 43 and washer 46, so that the wheelrotat-es easily when the parts are in working position. The innersurface of the cage-receiving aperture of the wheel 1 comes in directcontact with the peripheries of the antifriction rolls carried by thecage, and the result is that the supporting-wheels 1 rotate with aminimum of friction. The truckcentering wheels 8 are also free to runeasily, and the advantages of the construction in its entirety are thatthe friction is minimized at all points; suitable strength of structureat the same time is secured; the wheels 1 are kept automaticallycentered on the rails t, t, in consequence of the action of thetruck-centering wheels 8 on the vertical web 26 if the door is subjectedto a lateral shift; and the pair of trucks provided for the door compelit to run in true alinement by reason of the connecting bars 2.

In Fig. 7, showing a modification, the truck-frame is a one-piececasting; that is, the side-frames and intermediate base 4 are integral.The side-frames 3 of this construction are also extended sufficientlyfar beyond the path of the o positely disposed wheels 1, to permit theliorizontal, truck-centering wheels 8 being journaled in the side frames3, instead of being carried by the side-bars 2 as in the preferredconstruction. In this modification, the side-bars 2 may be attached tothe side frames at 50, the side-bars in such case not carrying anyhorizontal truck-centering wheels unless desired.

That I claim is 1. A door-hanger comprising, in combination, a pair ofwheeled trucks each having opposite side-frames spaced apart andconnected at their bottoms by a base and the wheels of each truck beingmounted at the inner walls of said side-frames and spaced apart; a pairof side-bars spaced apart and each connecting at its opposite ends withtwo of said sideframes; and a pair of horizontal, truck-centering wheelsoperatively mounted, spaced 1zgpart and projecting inwardly of saidsidears.

2. A door-hanger comprising, in combination, a pair of wheeled truckseach having opposite side-frames spaced apart and connected at theirbottoms by a base, and the wheels of each truck being mounted at theinner walls of said side-frames and spaced apart; a pair of detachableside-bars spaced apart and each connected at their opposite ends withtwo of said side-frames; and a pair of horizontal truck-centering wheelsspaced apart, one wheel of said pair being supported by one of saidside-bars and the other wheel of said pair being connected to the otherof said side-bars.

3. A door-hanger comprising, in combination, a pair of wheeled truckseach having opposite side-frames spaced apart and connected at theirbottoms by a base, and the wheels of each truck being mounted at theinner walls of said-side-frames and spaced apart; a pair of detachableside-bars spaced apart and each connected with two of said trucks; and aplurality of horizontal truck centering wheels carried by each of saidside-bars and projecting inwardly thereof.

4. A door-hanger comprising, in combination, a pair of wheeled truckseach having opposite side-frames spaced apart and connected at theirbottoms by a base, and the wheels of each truck being mounted at theinner walls of said side-frames and spaced apart; a pair of detachableside-bars spaced apart and each connected at its opposite ends to a pairof said side-frames, and a plurality of pairs of horizontaltruck-centering wheels adjustably mounted on brackets attached to theinner sides of said side-bars.

5. The combination of a pair of wheeled trucks having side frames spacedapart; side-bars spaced apart and each connected at its opposite endswith two of said trucks; horizontally mounted truck-centering wheelscarried by the side-bars, a track comprising a vertical web betweenopposed peripheries of the horizontal wheels and also comprising a pairof parallel rails the tops of which are convex and support the truckwheels.

6. The combination of a pair of wheeled trucks; a pair of side-barsspaced apart and each connected at its opposite ends with two of saidtrucks; horizontally mounted truckcentering wheelscarried by thesidebars; a track comprising a vertical web between opposed innerperipheries of the horizontal wheels and also comprising a pair of railsthe tops of which are convex and on which the truck wheels run; a door;and means whereby the door is suspended from said trucks.

7. The combination of a pair of trucks having fiangeless wheels withparallel sidebars spaced apart, and horizontally mounted truck-centeringwheels projecting inwardly of the side-bars; a track comprising avertical portion between opposed inner eriphcries of the truck-centeringwheels, the rails having convex u per bearin -surfaces; a door; andmeans or adjustab ly suspending the door from the bases of said trucks.

8. The combination of a door-hanger comprising a pair of wheeledtruck-frames, each having side-frames spaced apart and connected by abase; journals mounted in and clamped to said truck-frames and extendinginwardly thereof; truck wheels mounted thereon, and spaced apart;anti-friction de vices between said journals and the wheel hubs; a pairof side-bars, each of which connects two of said side-frames, the barseX- tending in the direction of the length of the door-hanger a pair ofhorizontally mounted truck-centering wheels carried by said sidebars andspaced apart; an adjustable post connected to each base; a doorsuspended on said. posts; and a track comprising a vertical portionbetween said truck-centering wheels.

9. A truck-frame consisting of a pair of side-frames and an intermediatebase provided with webs on its op osite edges and transverse bolts whichc amp said sideframes on said webs.

10. In a door-hanger, the combination of a pair of wheeled trucks, thewheels of which are flangeless parallel side-bars spaced apart, and eachconnected at its opposite ends with two of said trucks; horizontallymounted truck-centering wheels carried by the sidebars; a trackcomprising a vertical web between opposed peripheries of the horizontaltruck-centering wheels, and also comprising a pair of rails on which theflangeless truckwheels run; a door; and means for suspending the doorfrom said pair of trucks.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SIDNEY U. BARR. Witnesses:

H. C. REYNOLDS, H. W. HEYER.

